


An Arrow Through The Heart

by toniboonch



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Archery, Cute, F/F, Fluff, Insecurity, choni, frustrated toni
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 05:58:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18888559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toniboonch/pseuds/toniboonch
Summary: “Babe?” Toni whined, dropping the bow from her ready position, Cheryl pursed her lips at the action. “When can I shoot an arrow? We’ve been doing this for the past hour.”“You can’t shoot an arrow if you don’t know the proper form, mon amour,” Cheryl explained. Toni huffed and rolled her shoulders, they were stiff and sore._Toni sighed when she entered the back door, she was frustrated. She wondered why Cheryl just wouldn’t let Toni let an arrow or two fly at the circle targets. Toni grabbed a glass from the cabinet and began filling up the cup at the sink, she could see Cheryl through the kitchen window. Her red hair blew in the light breeze, her long red coat wrapped tightly around her body, her arms pulled the bow up, an arrow strung expertly. Toni barely saw the arrow leave the bow before Cheryl’s arms were down. She did everything so effortlessly._Cheryl's trying to teach Toni archery and Toni is extremely frustrated with herself causing her insecurities to grow.





	An Arrow Through The Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cappuchoni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cappuchoni/gifts).



> Here's a little archery one shot based on a tweet by missgamergeek
> 
> She has fantastic fics that I'm sure you all know about :) She was kind enough to let me work on this prompt. 
> 
> Kinda angsty but very cute :)

“Breathe in, arms straight… there you go, TT. _Parfait!”_ Cheryl cooed, her hands gently adjusting Toni’s shoulders.

 

Toni’s eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, her tongue flicked out to wet her dry lips. Her arms shook from having to be taunt for so long.

 

“ _Babe_?” Toni whined, dropping the bow from her ready position, Cheryl pursed her lips at the action. “When can I shoot an arrow? We’ve been doing this for the past hour.”

 

“You can’t shoot an arrow if you don’t know the proper form, mon amour,” Cheryl explained. Toni huffed and rolled her shoulders, they were stiff and sore.

 

“I think I need a break,” Toni said lowly and Cheryl nodded.

 

“Okay, TT. Take as long as you need,” Cheryl replied, placing a soft kiss on the frustrated girl’s lips. Toni gave a small smirk and began walking towards Thistlehouse, her bow left in Cheryl’s hands.

 

Toni sighed when she entered the back door, she was _frustrated_ . She wondered why Cheryl just wouldn’t let Toni let an arrow or two fly at the circle targets. Toni grabbed a glass from the cabinet and began filling up the cup at the sink, she could see Cheryl through the kitchen window. Her red hair blew in the light breeze, her long red coat wrapped tightly around her body, her arms pulled the bow up, an arrow strung expertly. Toni barely saw the arrow leave the bow before Cheryl’s arms were down. She did everything so _effortlessly_.

 

No doubt it was dead center.

 

Because that’s just who Cheryl Blossom was, a _perfectionist._

 

Toni sipped her water and her frustration with herself grew, was she making so many mistakes in her form that Cheryl didn’t trust her to shoot an arrow? Was Cheryl being too nice about the whole thing?

 

She would do that. Hype Toni up, no matter how many mistakes she made.

 

She remembers the Carrie Musical last year. Toni, even though a fantastic dancer, struggled to pick up the steps. She was in a funk about the whole thing and was even more self conscious with Jughead’s camera shoved in her face. Cheryl encouraged her day in and day out no matter how many times she tripped on her own feet. She was used to loosely dancing in the Whyte Wyrm with Sweet Pea and Fangs, even used to some cheer steps, but the musical was slowly crushing her confidence.

 

Toni eventually pulled herself together soon after Cheryl was kicked from the show. She had confessed to Cheryl months after the horrific, murderous ordeal that left a fellow cheerleader six feet under that it was _Cheryl_ who caused Toni to be a bad dancer. Toni remembered Cheryl’s brown eyes filling with understanding as Toni explained her internal doubts to her. Toni and Cheryl had just started dating after saving her from the Sister of Quiet Mercy, Toni was _so_ nervous around her. She always was the confident, cool, badass type but around Cheryl she turned into puppylove mush. Toni knew how much this musical meant to Cheryl, the HBIC wanted to show everyone she was still _her._

 

Toni wanted to impress Cheryl, she added this extra pressure of being the best dancer on that stage to herself _for_ Cheryl. This caused Toni to lose all of her ability, her fear of failing her redheaded angel was too much for her brain to wrap her mind around the steps thus creating a vicious mental cycle. Didn’t want to fail, was failing, felt shitty about it. As soon as Cheryl was gone, she regained all of her natural confidence and dance skills. Toni felt so guilty because of it.

 

Cheryl listened to her woes and smiled softly at her short term girlfriend whom she had already fallen so deeply in love with. Cheryl didn’t mind at all and she actually felt the same way. She wanted the role of Carrie to shut the naysayers up but she also wanted it to impress Toni. Show her that she was someone to not be ashamed of. They of course hugged and kissed it out but guilt and her feeling of being unworthy of Cheryl still sat in her mind. It had disappeared through the “I Love You’s” of recent times but was never fully gone.

 

Toni wondered if her “Carrie Syndrome” was coming back to bite her in the ass with archery. Cheryl absolutely _adored_ archery, she did it to clear her head. It required a calm breath, a steady hand and was also very useful when serial killers knocked on your front door. Cheryl simply couldn’t get enough of it, it was the one thing Jason never had any interest in so she shined. She felt confident and at peace with a bow in her hand and an arrow in her quiver. She was trying to give that piece of herself to Toni and here Toni was, in the kitchen, angry with herself and her lack of skills.

 

Toni contemplated saying “ _fuck it”_ and going back out there to finish her lesson but quickly decided against it. She peeled off her gloves and threw them on the counter, turning from the kitchen to go upstairs and change.

 

__

 

“Toni?” A soft voice asked, there was a light knock on the door before Toni saw Cheryl’s concerned face peeking through the door of their bedroom. “Are you o-okay?” She stammered.

 

“I’m fine, babe,” Toni sighed, she was wrapped up in their covers scrolling through Instagram. Veronica had just posted a cute photo of her and Betty laughing. Toni wished they included Cheryl in more things.

 

“You never came back out,” Cheryl said, her voice was small. She slowly began to crawl in bed next to Toni, her long, red, hooded coat and shoes disposed of downstairs. Toni welcomed her with opened arms and the red head sunk into Toni’s chest with a satisfied and content hum. Toni rubbed her back soothingly.

 

“I don’t know if archery is for me, babe,” Toni said and Cheryl nodded against her chest.

 

“Today was just form practice, TT. There’s tons more that I have to show you!” Cheryl explained.

 

“Okay,” Toni replied.

 

“So you’ll come out tomorrow then?” Cheryl asked, the excitement in her voice was very noticeable to her girlfriend.

 

“I don’t know, I have a lot of homework,” Toni lied. Cheryl’s face fell, her eyebrows furrowing.

 

“Oh… of course,” Cheryl replied, understandingly. “I was going to make something to eat, do you want anything?”

 

Toni paused for a moment before she nodded. “I’ll come down and help you.” Cheryl leaned up and kissed Toni’s cheek lightly in attempts to make her feel better.

 

It didn’t but Toni appreciated the gesture.

 

__

 

Toni rolled over the next morning with a groan, her shoulders and forearms were so sore. She reached out for Cheryl only to find her side of the bed empty. Toni sat up, rubbing her eyes as she scanned the room for her girlfriend. The redhead was nowhere to be seen. Toni rolled out of bed and padded to their bathroom to get ready for the day.

 

Toni jogged down stairs. No Cheryl in the living room, only Nana Rose sat there, a fresh cup of tea in her hands.

 

“Uh hey, Nana. Where’s Cheryl?” Toni asked.

 

“Good morning Antionette! Cheryl is in the backyard,” Nana Rose replied, pointing a bony finger towards the back of the house.

 

“Thanks,” Toni responded, rushing to the back.

 

She exited out the back door and pulled her Poisons jacket tighter around her body. The morning air was chilly and held a slight mist, that clung to the leather of her jacket, making it slick.

 

“Cheryl…… Cheryl!” Toni called out, it was unlike Cheryl to not tell Toni where she was going and she was nervous especially with the weird Gargoyle King shit she was hearing Jughead and Betty annoyingly obsess over at school.

 

“TT!” Cheryl’s voice responded, Toni rounded a large hedge and found her girlfriend standing in the open landscape. A bow in her hand.

 

“Morning, babe,” Toni replied, ignoring the bow that her internal voice said mocked her. She leaned in for a quick peck and pulled back before Cheryl was ready. Cheryl frowned and sighed.

 

“You want to tell me what’s going on with you?” Cheryl asked.

 

“What do you mean?” Toni asked.

 

“Somethings wrong and it all started with me trying to give you lessons. I’m just trying to include you in this part of my life! Why are you so hesitant about it?” Cheryl asked, her words were fast and rambling. Toni wondered if she even took a breath in between them.

 

“I don’t mean to make you feel that way, babe,” Toni answered, shoving her hands deeper in her jacket pockets.

 

“I know you don’t…. Just let me in. What’s wrong?” Cheryl asked. Toni kicked the grass at her feet, uprooting it. Cheryl watched her, patiently waiting for her confession.

 

“I’m not good enough,” Toni mumbled.

 

“You just started, _yesterday._ You’re not going to be Erika Jones from the start!” Cheryl explained, Toni furrowed her eyebrows at Cheryl’s unknown reference but glazed over it.

 

“For you,” Toni finished and Cheryl’s mouth went slack, her beautiful lips falling open in shock.

 

“Where is this coming from?” Cheryl asked some moments later, she was blinking fast as if to avoid tears from spilling from her glistening eyes. Toni shrugged at her question and sighed.

 

“It happen sometimes,” Toni murmured. “I just hate disappointing you.”

 

“TT, you never could disappoint me,” Cheryl said, she reached up to cup Toni’s face. Her red archery glove leaving Toni’s skin damp from the mist that collected on it. The sun was just starting to break through the mid morning clouds and the mist was beginning to burn off allowing the couple to see more of the fogged up yard.

 

Toni pulled her face away from Cheryl’s hand with a sigh and Cheryl dropped her arm, defeated. Toni rarely acted out emotionally so Cheryl was really lost on how to handle the situation, it was Toni who picked up _her_ pieces, not the other way around. She tried to act like Toni when Cheryl was upset and give her physical contact but Toni pulled away from it, Cheryl was suddenly out of tricks.

 

“Tell me what to do, _please._ ” Cheryl begged and Toni’s eyes finally met hers.

 

“Just give me my lesson,” Toni said quietly, she shook her head slightly as if she was trying to shake away her bad mood. Cheryl wordlessly moved to gather Toni’s bow and arrows. Toni gazed out at the targets, her mind seemingly far off while Cheryl’s mind raced for an answer to her girlfriend’s problems.

 

“Here baby,” Cheryl said gently, she handed Toni her bow and an arrow. “Step in front of a target and get in your form.”

 

Toni did as she was told, her form sloppy and hunched. She seemed like she was purposely not trying to ensure that Cheryl failed her.

 

“That’s not how you did it yesterday,” Cheryl sighed.

 

“Yes it is, Cher,” Toni, said through gritted teeth. Cheryl moved behind Toni, her front pressed into Toni’s back, her arms came up to gently fix her girlfriend's arms and push her shoulders back. Her hands snaked down Toni’s torso and laid on her hips, adjusting them as well, her right hand patted Toni’s inner left thigh making the ex-serpent widen her stance.

 

“There-” Cheryl practically whispered in Toni’s ear. “All fixed.” Toni shuddered at the action but kept the annoyance and anger on her face. “String your arrow.”

 

Toni again did as she was told. She loosened her stance to place the singular arrow Cheryl gave her and then pulled the bow up. Her stance was much, much better this time around.

 

“Good, TT… very good,’ Cheryl mused, her eyes running up and down her body. Cheryl noticed a tiny smile glint across Toni’s lips before she went stone cold again. “Shoot.”

 

Toni pulled the string back tighter, preparing to send the arrow flying at the target. There was hesitance on her face.

 

“W-what if I miss?” Toni asked in a small voice.

 

“Then you miss,” Cheryl shrugged. “Then you try again, then you practice, then you hit the target.”

 

“Easy for you to say,” Toni grumbled.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Toni?” Cheryl asked crossing her arms, her hip jutting out to the side. Toni glanced at her with her peripherals and sighed, dropping her stance.

 

“N-nothing. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” Toni answered shortly.

 

“Why are you acting like this?” Cheryl asked, her voice sounded hurt. “What did you mean by that?”

 

“You’re just so perfect at everything… I have to _work_ for everything I want,” Toni said, she regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.

 

“I’m _not_ spoiled if that’s what you’re implying,” Cheryl said, her voice deep.

 

“I wasn’t-” Toni began.

 

“You think I was just born perfect? I worked for every skill I have. I was always overshadowed by JJ, my parents pretended I didn’t exist-” Cheryl began, her cheeks were glowing pink in anger, her voice cracking.

 

“Cher I-” Toni said trying to stop her from spiraling but Cheryl kept rambling. Toni laid down her bow gently, taking a slight step towards Cheryl.

 

“I’m just trying to include you because I was _never_ included. I’m still _never_ included no matter how many times I prove myself to the people at school. I’m still JJ’s sister…. I’m still a _bitch_ ,” Cheryl’s eyes filled with tears and Toni was internally kicking herself for hurting her love this way. “J-just because I grew up with privilege doesn’t mean I’ve never worked hard.”

 

“I know baby, I know. I’m so sorry. I was feeling insecure, I should’ve never taken it out on you,” Toni said, stepping towards Cheryl to console her. Toni opened her arms and Cheryl instantly threw herself into her, her face snuggled into Toni’s chest.

 

“I-I-I love you,” Cheryl said.

 

“I love you too, so much,” Toni replied, running her fingers through Cheryl’s hair.

 

“You have to t-tell me when you feel like this. We-we have to communicate. I hate fighting, please don’t let us f-fight,” Cheryl cried.

 

“I will Cher, I will…. I’m so sorry,” Toni said, swallowing hard.

 

Toni was an idiot, a complete dipshit. She couldn’t keep her own insecurities hidden safely away from Cheryl, she didn’t mean to hurt her and she _hated_ what she implied about her. Cheryl worked so hard, in her school life, at her home, in their relationship, in her extracurriculars and she was still thrown aside by her peers and her family.

 

It was true, Toni _didn’t_ feel good enough for Cheryl from time to time. She wondered how a girl so headstrong, so powerful, so opinionated, so _beautiful_ would share her life, her home, her _bed_ with someone like Toni. She thanked her lucky stars every night for Cheryl. As Toni confessed earlier, she didn’t want to disappoint Cheryl. She didn’t want Cheryl to feel like Toni wasn’t giving her, her all. She didn’t want Cheryl to be ashamed to walk around school and town holding her hand. She wanted to be _good enough_ for Cheryl, the way Cheryl was more than that for her.

 

Cheryl provided everything: food, a home, unconditional love. She even took Toni to get her hair properly dyed pink instead of the cheap at home kits Toni occasionally stole for the drug store on the Southside. Toni gave her _nothing_.

 

Sure, Toni was a good _lover_ , snuggler and listener but she didn’t provide what Cheryl did for Toni. She could never provide that and it made her feel _worthless_.

 

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Toni,” Cheryl said, almost reading Toni’s thoughts.

 

“I-I am?” Toni swallowed. Cheryl lifted her head from Toni’s chest and gazed into her eyes.

 

“Yes, and _more,”_ Cheryl said, she cupped Toni’s face again but this time Toni didn’t pull away.

 

“I don’t see how Cher, I’m _nothing_.”

 

“You’re _everything_. You give me your love, Toni. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. I’ve wanted compassion, someone to hold me at night and make me feel safe, someone to share my secrets with. When JJ died, I had _nothing_ but now I have _everything_ thanks to you. You give me such butterflies every time I gaze into your shining _marron_ eyes. You’re my best friends, you make the best food, you take care of me and my Nana, you defend me, you make me feel confident, you heal my heart and my mind, you _love_ me.”

 

Toni was choking back tears, Cheryl captured Toni’s lips with her own. Their kiss was salty from tears but passionate and _filled_ to the brim with _love_. Toni never wanted it to end.

 

“I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world, mon amour,” Cheryl said, when they finally pulled away.

 

“I-” Toni stopped herself from trying to argue with Cheryl’s kind words. She wasn’t going to ruin the moment with the negativity she was trying to hold onto. Cheryl smiled kindly at her and Toni could feel the little ‘Carrie Syndrome’ loosen its grip on her mind. “Thank you, babe… you don’t know how much those words mean to me.”

 

“You don’t know how much _your_ everything means to me, TT.’ Cheryl cooed, Toni smiled brightly capturing her girlfriend's plump pink lips with her own again.

 

“You’re my world, Cher. The air I breathe… I would do _anything_ for you,” Toni confessed, blood rushing to her cheeks.

 

“Well then shoot that arrow,” Cheryl all but whispered. Toni nodded, but didn’t want to release the her grip on Cheryl that had now moved down to her waist.

 

“I’m gonna miss,” Toni laughed and Cheryl smiled.

 

“Maybe… but it’ll be the most _flawless_ miss,” Cheryl said.

 

“Me? Flawless?” Toni asked.

 

“In every way, now go,” Cheryl said, pulling herself out of Toni’s grip. Toni turned with a shaky breath, an encouraging tap hitting her backside. She turned to see Cheryl wink at her playfully. She smiled before turning back and picking up her discarded bow. She got in her form as Cheryl nodded approvingly. She strung the arrows and pulled the string back to her nose. She breathed deeply and the arrow launched itself from the bow. It went wizzing right past the target, sticking itself in the grass. Toni laughed and dropped her stance in defeat.

 

“Great form, TT. Try another,” Cheryl said handing her the quiver filled with arrows and Toni’s pair of archery gloves.

 

Toni slipped on her gloves and rolled her shoulders. She strung another arrow and pulled it back, her form more confident this time. Again the arrow missed the target. Toni huffed in frustration while Cheryl watched her start to figure her aiming out.

 

Toni shot the arrow.

 

It missed.

 

She pulled another.

 

It missed.

 

Another.

 

Another miss.

 

Again.

 

Miss.

 

Toni didn’t give up, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, her form impeccable. Toni strung another arrow, adjusting her aim. She breathed deeply, the mist from the yard practically gone as the sun shone through the clouds. Cheryl stood in anticipation. Toni released the arrow sending it flying along the shooting range.

 

**_THUNK_ **

 

Toni screamed and jumped for joy as the arrow lodged itself into the bottom left of the target.

 

“I can’t believe I did that!” Toni said. Cheryl came running towards her in excitement, she threw herself into Toni causing them to fall into the damp grass below them giggling uncontrollably.

 

“I-I think you broke… some arrows…” Toni said, through fits of laughter.

 

“We have more,” Cheryl squealed. “I’m so _proud_ of you.”

 

Toni leaned up to look at the girl laying on top of her.

 

 _Proud._ Toni wanted to hear the word leave her lips again.

 

“What was that?” Toni asked, Cheryl’s smile grew.

 

“I’m _proud_ of _you_ ,” Cheryl repeated, Toni smiled widely.

 

“Thank you, I had a pretty great instructor,” Toni shrugged, Cheryl flicked her hair back with a smirk.

 

“The very best.”

 

Cheryl leaned down and kissed Toni deeply, their eyes fluttering closed as their lips moved against each other.

 

“I think we earned some breakfast,” Cheryl said, pulling back from Toni.

 

“I kinda want to shoot more, babe,” Toni said, sheepishly.

 

“Then go ahead,” Cheryl smiled, she pulled herself off on Toni and helped the smaller girl up. She collected her bow from the floor.

 

“We _have_ to teach the Poisons archery,” Toni said, excitedly. Cheryl took a step back as Toni strung another arrow and sent it flying. It hit further up than her last arrow, closer to the center. Toni let out a gasp and turned to Cheryl. Her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.

 

“I think that could be arranged,” Cheryl smiled.

 

Toni shot another arrow, it was just _left_ of the center. Toni pumped her fist in excitement and Cheryl giggled.

 

“Come on, Robin Hood! I’m _starving_ ,” Cheryl whined. Toni rolled her eyes and dropped her form.

 

“Okay, babe. What do you want?” Toni asked.

 

“Waffles,” Cheryl smiled and Toni nodded.

 

“Anything for you,” Toni said capturing Cheryl’s lips once again.

 

“I love you, TT,” Cheryl said, her eyes shining bright.

 

“I love you, Cher,” Toni replied.

 

Toni pulled off her quiver of arrows and grabbed Cheryl’s hand. They walked hand in hand back to Thistlehouse, their bows in their other hands.

 

Toni couldn’t wait to get back out there. She felt so excited by it.

 

Cheryl couldn’t wait to see Toni shoot again.

 

They both couldn’t feel more in love with one another than they did in this moment.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Leave a kudos and a comment and check out my other fics!
> 
> Follow me on twitter, @kingdomdxmi


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